Russia-Ukraine War: List of key events, day 1 213 | Russia-Ukraine War News

Here are the key events of day 1 213 of the Russian war against Ukraine.

Here’s how things are going on Saturday June 21:

Struggle

• Russia’s drones and missiles during the night damaged energy infrastructure in the Kremenchuk district of Center of Ukraine in Poltava, local military authorities said.
• One person was injured in the attack, according to Volodymyr Kohut, the region’s military governor, who has not provided more details on the extent of damage.
• Russia had targeted the district refinery, according to an online media report Strana.ua.

Politics and diplomacy

• Ukraine and Russia exchange more prisoners of war, said officials from the two countries, the second exchange in two days under An agreement concluded in Turkiye Earlier this month. All the soldiers captured were injured, sick or under 25. None of the parties said how many soldiers had been released.
• At the flagship economic forum of Russia in Saint Petersburg, President Vladimir Putin said that he had not “excluded” his forces taking control of the northeast city of Sumy of Ukraine as part of the efforts to create a buffer area along the border.
• The Sumy region is not one of the regions that Moscow has officially annexed, although the Russian forces recently performed there for the first time in three years, Putin saying that his troops had increased up to 12 km (7 miles) in the region.
• In a series of beautiful remarks, Putin also seemed to repeat her denial of the Ukrainian state. Ukraine said Putin’s comments showed “disdain” for the peace process.
• The German army considers Russia as an “existential risk” for the country and Europe, according to a report by Spiegel News magazine which cites a new Bundeswehr strategy document. Russia is truly preparing for a conflict with NATO, in particular by strengthening forces in western Russia “on borders with NATO,” said the report cites the strategy document. Germany can only counter this threat “with a coherent development of military capacities and society,” concludes the document.
• Putin reaffirmed Moscow’s opposition to the spread of weapons of mass destruction, including any potential acquisition by Iran. Putin told Sky News Arabia that Russia supports Iran’s right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, stressing that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has found no evidence suggesting that Tehran seeks to build nuclear weapons. Putin has also said that Russia is ready to help Iran develop its civil nuclear program.

Economy

• During the Saint Petersburg Economic Forum, Putin also urged officials not to let Russia fall into the “under circumstance” recession, because some in its own government have warned against economic growth. Economists have warned for months a slowdown in the Russian economy, the country with a growth of 1.4% in annual sliding in the first quarter of 2025, the lowest pace in two years.
• A decision of the OPEC + group of main world oil producers to accelerate production now seems to be in line at the line and justified in the middle of the Middle East conflict, said Igor Sechin, chief of the largest oil producer in Russia, Rosneft, at the Forum. Sechin also said that there would be no long -term oil overabundance despite the increase in production, and that the European Union seeks to reduce the $ 45 oil ceiling to improve the profitability of its purchases, and not to reduce Russia’s budgetary income.